Ostlers Close

The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 is now in the shops. This review is taken from the 2007 edition.

One of the joys of eating out is discovering hidden gems that unite great food with bucketloads of personality. Hidden down a narrow wynd, Ostlers Close is certainly one. So discreet is it that the only indication that something special lies just off Cupar's main street is the occasional sigh of delight emanating from the intimate dining room. In such a cosy environment you're able to observe each meticulously prepared dish as it emerges from the busy kitchen run by Jimmy and Amanda Graham. Cleverly tiptoeing between visual extravagance and mouthwatering indulgence, a pot-roast breast of woodpigeon with slow-cooked pork cheek combines rich, gamey flavours with sweet sauces, while the seemingly simple fillet of cod on smoked-haddock potato mash is memorably tasty. And that's just the starters. Each course builds on the last so your expectations are superseded at every turn. Mains include Pittenweem seafood on a champagne butter sauce or roast fillet of Scottish beef served with wild mushrooms. Desserts, in turn, are delicate and delightful, while the service is informative and industrious. Despite its lack of visual lustre, Ostlers Close is treasure well worth hunting out.

• High point: Food that's imaginative, traditional and everything in between
• Low point: Dining room lacks a dimmer switch